OB lecture 20 team effectiveness

Elements of a Team Objectives Complementary Skills or Roles Accountability Performance Standard Team that avoid conflict often do so to avoid hurting team member feeling, and end up encourage tension. When team member do not openly debate and disagree about import ideas, they often go back channel – far nastier and harmful

20 Team Effectiveness Team and Group Group Two or more people with common interest or objectives e.g Drinking partners, a study group, a tour group Team Elements of a Team • • • • Objectives Complementary Skills or Roles Accountability Performance Standard Why Team ? Teams are every where Some Tasks are to big, or too complex and cannot be accomplished by a single person Drucker calls Team A task focused structure where skills (persons) come to a task Unlike in functional structure, ‘work’ goes to Skill (person) Examples of Team • • • • A research team A design Team An account Team A management team An assignment team ( or an assignment group?) Social Loafing When people exert less effort and perform at A lower level when working in a team than when working alone -> contribution is noticeable -> Smaller team size Theories on Team Tuckman (2001) – Group Formation Forming Storming Norming Performing Page 234 Evidence National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) 44% of aircraft accidents happened when on the crew first flight together Fear of conflict Artificial peace Absence of Trust Invulnerability Team that avoid conflict often so to avoid hurting team member feeling, and end up encourage tension When team member not openly debate and disagree about import ideas, they often go back channel – far nastier and harmful Healthy conflict is a time saver Teams that fear conflict • • • • Boring meeting Back channel Politics Fail to tape into opinions and perspective of team members Members of a team must have the courage and confidence to bring out sensitive issues and force team members to work through Lack of Commitment Or lack of it Foot dragging … Watch window of opportunity passes If there is no ‘commitment’ on top, what is the division below? Lack of Commitment Fear of conflict Ambiguity Artificial peace Absence of Trust Invulnerability A decision is better than no decision It is better to make a decision and be wrong - and then change direction with equal boldness – than it is to hesitate Never seek consensus, But Buy-in But buy-in Reasonable human being not need to get their ways in order to support a decision, but only need to know that their opinions have been heard and considered Avoidance of Accountability Unwillingness of members to tolerate the interpersonal discomfort that accompanies calling a peer on his or her behavior and the tendencies to avoid difficult conversation Avoidance of Accountability Lack of Commitment Fear of conflict Low standards Ambiguity Artificial peace Absence of Trust Invulnerability How to build accountability • Publication of goals and standards (Team rules) • Simply and regular progress review (I did say report) • Team Reward Inattention to Results Attention to own results other than common results e.g individual career and goal Ego and Status Inattention to Results Avoidance of Accountability Lack of Commitment Fear of conflict Low standards Ambiguity Artificial peace Absence of Trust Invulnerability Case Study Simmons Laboratories Investigate the factors that lead to effective team work and the influences that threaten Success What Dr William Goh, Brandon Newbridge or Lester Zapf could have done better? ... structure, ‘work’ goes to Skill (person) Examples of Team • • • • A research team A design Team An account Team A management team An assignment team ( or an assignment group?) Social Loafing When.. .Team and Group Group Two or more people with common interest or objectives e.g Drinking partners, a study group, a tour group Team Elements of a Team • • • • Objectives Complementary... perform at A lower level when working in a team than when working alone -> contribution is noticeable -> Smaller team size Theories on Team Tuckman (200 1) – Group Formation Forming Storming Norming